the_historian
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Posts:1825
 | | 05 Jun 2004 04:40 PM | | Explored any of these recently? Think your research has led you close to pinpointing Mons Graupius..or Boudica's last stand?
Anyone researched Scottish clan battle sites, like the North Inch in Perth? This was where two clans were told to settle a long-running feud by the king(forget which one)by sending their fifteen best warriors to fight to the death on this island in the River Tay. They got down to one man on one side and three on the other, and the sole survivor promptly dived in the river and swam off. Sensible bloke.
Am I right about the details?
Yours in History,
Gordon | | | |
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the_historian
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the_historian
Veteran Member
Posts:1825
| | 12 Aug 2004 10:31 AM | | | Just got word that CAIRN are holding a conference on Warfare and Violence in Prehistoric Europe at Queen's University, Belfast, on 28-29th May next year. Will give you more details when I get them.
Regards,Gordon
http://freewebs.com/thehistoryvault/ | | | |
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the_historian
Veteran Member
Posts:1825
| | 12 Oct 2004 02:16 AM | | | Just found this group dedicated to the study of fortifications too-
www.siteo.net
Regards,Gordon
http://freewebs.com/thehistoryvault/ | | | |
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the_historian
Veteran Member
Posts:1825
| | 25 Apr 2008 09:00 PM | | | Speaking of battlefields, Two Men in a Trench caused a minor incident when they looked for the site of the battle of Bannockburn.
Not only did they find Mediaeval dated artefacts on the supposed site (this week!), but they put the local museum curator's nose out of joint.
Previously, the only artefacts found in the area were three spikes found in Milton Bog, on the south side of the battlefield, in the 1920s. These have been displayed as having been sharpened and used as defensive features ever since.
However, TMIAT gained permission to carbon date them, and discovered that they were actually 8000 year old tree roots! The curator has been arguing ever since this doesn't mean they weren't used in the battle, and she does have a point. Casts some doubt on how "man-made" they were though, IMHO!
Regards,
Gordon | | | |
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the_historian
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| | 25 Apr 2008 09:00 PM | | | Speaking of battlefields, I just found this www.chrispics.co.uk/. This appears to yet another mock-up of an Atlantic Wall used for D-Day training, but this time it's at Hankley Common in Surrey. The site was used by the army up until recently, when a rare lichen was discovered growing on the wall and led to it being declared an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest).
That makes three definitely found-Sheriffmuir in Stirlingshire (near me), and Castlemartin in Wales being the other two. All had replica German bunkers and trench systems as well, and show some damage from massive explosions. It's not known if this was caused by Royal Engineer squads, or "Funny" tanks-those modified to carry minesweeping flails, flamethrowers, explosive charges on the landings.
It's known that replica defences were built at Muthill in Perthshire, and Moffat in the Borders, but these haven't been located yet. The Moffat complex was built by the British 3rd Division, and was a set of replicas of real life targets on D-Day- German positions known as "Hillman" and "Morris". I recently managed to contact a Normandy vet who was one of the engineers who built these replicas, and hopefully he'll be able to give me enough info to let me go and survey them.
Regards,
Gordon | | | |
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the_historian
Veteran Member
Posts:1825
| | 25 Apr 2008 09:00 PM | | | See a new series called Battlefield Britain kicks off at 9PM on BBC2 on Friday 6th August. The series explores battles crucial to British history, and a surprise(but very welcome inclusion) is the revolt of Owain Glyndwr. Other featured battles are Hastings, Culloden, Spanish Armada, Battle of Britain, Naseby, and The Boyne.
Regards,
Gordon | | | |
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the_historian
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Venicone
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| | 25 Apr 2008 09:00 PM | | | I agree Gordon - its a vast improvement on their old site
Corinne Mills
http://www.ourpasthistory.com/ | | | |
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the_historian
Veteran Member
Posts:1825
| | 25 Apr 2008 09:00 PM | | Don't remember ever seeing the old one, Co. 
Regards,Gordon
http://freewebs.com/thehistoryvault/ | | | |
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Venicone
New Member
Posts:0
| | 25 Apr 2008 09:00 PM | | | Hi Gordon
The battlefield trust have had a website for at least 3 years - but it was quite basic
this newer version is much better :)
Corinne Mills
http://www.ourpasthistory.com/ | | | |
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